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Top 10 Stories of Wednesday, November 1, 2017

1. BUHARI TO ‘REJIG, APPOINT NEW MINISTERS, OTHER CABINET MEMBERS’

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday promised the leaders and executives of the All Progressives Congress, that the federal government will expand the federal executive council to bring more people and fresh ideas to the system. The president also apologised for failing to reconstitute the Boards of Parastatals despite promising to do so last year.
The president said: “I know that our supporters are also very eager for these Board appointments to be announced. By God’s grace, they will be announced soon.
2. COURT FINALLY BRINGS FORMER NSA DASUKI TO COURT
After many orders, the Department of State Services has finally brought former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, to court. Dasuki is appearing as a witness in the trial of People’s Democratic Party former Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, for corruption.
He was brought to court by DSS operatives, just in time for Wednesday’s proceedings.
A Federal High Court in Abuja had repeatedly ordered that Dasuki who has been in DSS detention since 2015 be brought to court, to say what he knows about the accusation against Metuh.
3. FORMER VICE PRESIDENT, EKWUEME, COLLAPSES, ADMITTED IN HOSPITAL, AS GOVERNOR UGWUANYI BURSTS INTO TEARS
Former Vice-President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, has collapsed and is currently at the Intensive Care Unit of Memfys Hospital for Neurosurgery, by Penok petrol station in Trans-Ekulu, Enugu State. Ekwueme was said to have collapsed around 2 am last Saturday, at his residence in Independence Layout, Enugu, barely 10 days (October 10) after he celebrated his 85th birthday. Family members said that the former vice-president went into a coma soon after he collapsed.
Medical personnel at Memphis Hospital said that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State broke down in tears on seeing Ekwueme at the Intensive Care Unit on Tuesday evening.
4. APC NEC MEETING: GOVS’ BID TO GET AUTOMATIC 2019 TICKET FOR BUHARI FAILS
Plans by some governors to move a motion for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari at the APC NEC meeting on Tuesday failed. According to reports, the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, Owelle Rochas Okorocha; his Plateau and Kebbi counterparts, Simon Lalong and Atiku Bagudu, respectively had before the commencement rooted for Buhari as the only candidate to fly the party’s flag in 2019.
But the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, explained that there was no discussion about the election of 2019 or who will be the party flag bearer. The committee will decide when all these activities will take place.”
Abdullahi also said a vote of confidence was passed in the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun National Working Committee of the party.
5. POLICE SEARCH FOR FRIENDS OF LOVERS FOUND DEAD IN CAR
The police in Lagos State are looking for friends of the two lovebirds found dead in a Toyota Corolla on Abisogun Leigh Street, Ogba, Lagos State. The move was to investigate what played out at a birthday party the duo attended the previous day. It was gathered that Lukmon, Promise and some of their friends, had attended a birthday party at Obawole, in the Iju Ishaga area the previous evening.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said the command would explore all the investigative angles to the incident.
6. WOMAN GETS 10 YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR COCAINE TRAFFICKING
A 56-year- old woman and mother of four, Modinat Owolabi, was on Tuesday sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for cocaine trafficking. Owolabi was convicted by Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Lagos State. She was arraigned on one count by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. She pleaded guilty to the charge.
The prosecuting counsel for the NDLEA, Mr. Ibrahim Abu, told the court that Owolabi was arrested on May 19, 2017, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja. He said Owolabi was found with 330 grammes of cocaine during the outward clearance of a Qatar Airways flight to Saudi Arabia.
Her lawyer, Morenike Ogunleye, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing her, stating that she was the first offender.
Justice Aikawa said, “ I have to consider both her plea and what the law says about the crime.
7. QUEEN CERRUTI OF NETHERLANDS VISITS AMBODE
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Tuesday said the state would begin the implementation of Health Insurance Scheme in 2018 to make healthcare accessible to every resident, irrespective of financial status.
The governor said this when Queen Maxima Cerruti of Netherlands and her entourage paid him a courtesy visit at State House in Alausa, Lagos.
Ambode thanked the queen for being an advocate of womanhood and humanity.
He explained the positive impact of his administration on health issues and the health insurance scheme.
He promised “ a robust partnership with the Netherlands and other relevant stakeholders at delivering government of inclusion to Lagosians.
She commended the efforts of Lagos State Government to establish its health insurance scheme, adding that she was impressed with the leadership quality and status of the state.
8. FG SANCTIONS 23 RADIO, TV STATIONS FOR HATE SPEECH, VULGAR LYRICS
The federal government has fined about twenty-three radio and television stations across the country for various breaches of broadcasting rules set by the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC. The NBC spokesperson, Maimuna Jimada, said in a statement that the stations were punished for hateful speech, vulgar lyrics and unverifiable claims.
The breaches contravened the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code in the third quarter of 2017, according to the NBC. The spokesperson on Wednesday said there will be higher sanctions if erring stations fail to comply with the fine.
She also said the payments will be made into the NBC account.
9. LAGOS SETS TO CONDUCT HOUSE-TO-HOUSE HIV/AIDS TEST
The Lagos State Agency for the Control of AIDS (LSACA) says it will be conducting the first Lagos AIDS Survey (LAGAIS) soon in order to provide a database on the prevalence of AIDS and lighten up the burden of the disease on individuals and communities in the State. The survey will be a private household study which includes children.
Healthcare workers and LSACA staff would be visiting participants to collect blood samples to test for HIV/AIDS in various communities.
Mrs Olubunmi Ilawole, Health Educator, Lagos State Ministry of Health, disclosed this at an interactive session. She, however, called on community and traditional leaders to inform and encourage every household and individual to cooperate and participate in the survey and collection of blood samples in communities.
10. TESTIFYING WILL EXPOSE ME TO CRIMINAL TRIAL
An application filed by former President Goodluck Jonathan before the Federal High Court in Abuja has revealed further reasons why he wants to be excused from appearing as a witness in defence of a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh who is standing trial on charges involving N400M amongst others.
He also argued in the motion filed on his behalf by his lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), on Monday, that his testimony being sought in Metuh ’s trial, would not only amount to an invasion of his right to privacy , it would also expose him to a criminal charge, penalty or forfeiture.
Meanwhile, the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, on Tuesday, fixed Wednesday ( today) for the hearing of Jonathan ’s motion. But the judge said the outcome of his ruling on Dasuki ’s application would determine whether or not to deliver a ruling on Jonathan’ s motion.
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Here are the major headlines for Wednesday, November 1, 2017